he graduated from boston, and he served previously in the senate for senators martinez, smith, and two other senators. he has a deep, extensive [background in the senate. starting with james and moving on down. >> thank you. good afternoon. please, bear with me, i'm slowly, but surely, getting my voice back. seems like you are on the front end of losing your voice or back end of gaining it back. i thought what i would do this morning a start off with two quotes, which i think, help us frame the discussion that i think we'll have, and at least my comments, and i'll briefly lay out a way to view this issue discussed today, a question of obstruction in the senate. the first quote is from a guy namedded william who wrote a book called "the art of political manipulation," a professor of politics i believe, and in the book, he said it is true people win politically because they induced other people to join them; right? that's how we think about politics. you convince and persuade other people to join you, you have a vote, and you win. he says winners reduced by more than attraction and persu